Home
by JPHBK
Summary: Oneshot set after "Forever Red". Jason stops by Angel Grove and runs into Kimberly. They attempt to heal old wounds. He left her once. What will he do this time?


Disclaimer: Saban owns Power Rangers and the characters within, not I.

Home

Jason Scott stopped his bike outside of the building to his right. He leaned over and rested his right foot on the ground as he raised the visor on his helmet. He frowned when he saw the sign on the door. His eyes darted around the property as his mind was flooded with memories of many moments spent at the now closed Youth Center. Jason lowered his head for a moment and then raised it to get one more good look before he flipped his visor back down and rode the motorcycle on past the building.

The town had not changed much in the five years since he had seen it last. It was as if Angel Grove was stuck in a time capsule and perpetually stayed the same. The few differences Jason did see, were mostly just closed businesses and empty buildings here and there.

The bike came to rest in front of a stop light and Jason glanced down the street to see a coffee shop. He suddenly realized he could go for a cup. Jason accelerated at the turn of the light and made the short ride to pull into the parking lot of the establishment. He parked the bike in an open spot next to the building and shut it off. He sat for a moment looking around before turning his attention on the business in front of him. It had been in town as long as he could remember although he hardly ever frequented it as he had only recently developed a taste for coffee.

Jason got off the bike and placed his helmet on it. He made his way over to the door of the building and pulled it open. He smiled as he heard the bell jingle over his head to signal his arrival and he stepped inside and looked around. He saw a waitress look at him and he made his way over to the counter. He studied the menu for just a moment before deciding on a plain black coffee and a glazed doughnut. He only had to wait just a few moments before both items were placed in front of him.

Jason took his items and made his way over to a table next to the window and sat down. He glanced out the window to see he had a great view of the main part of the city which was just below him in the distance. He turned back to his doughnut and picked it up and took a bite. He smiled approvingly and then took a sip of his coffee. It was hot and burned his tongue slightly but compared to the soreness he was feeling in his shoulder from the battle he had just been in, it was a welcome distraction.

"Jason?" A soft voice from behind him, jarred him out of his thoughts. Suddenly he was transported back in time to the last time he had heard the voice. It was four years ago and it was on the other side of the country. Jason turned to his left to make sure he wasn't hearing things. His eyes fell on her and he almost choked on the breath that caught in his throat.

"Kim?" Jason responded as he locked eyes with Kimberly Hart. She was standing next to his table looking down at him with a big smile on her face. He wasted no time in standing up and pulling her into a hug. It was only after they were entangled in an embrace that Jason realized his body had done this unconsciously. He closed his eyes as he relished the feeling of her in his arms.

"Oh my gosh.. Jason." Kim said, her voice layered with emotion as she pulled away so she could look up at him. Each of them began to study the other's features. Trying to see if their eyes matched their memories.

"Wow.. I.. it's been a long time." Jason finally managed to get out as he motioned to his table and both of them sat down across from one another.

"Four years." Kimberly stated as she got comfortable in her chair and rested her arms on the table in front of her.

"Yeah..." Jason replied as he sat back in his chair and found himself blinking his eyes a couple of times.

"So... what are you doing in town?" She questioned.

"Oh.." Jason ran his hand through his hair and then leaned forward to place his hands on the table. "Actually... Tommy called me... said he needed my help.. and I met him just outside of town and um... well I.. I was a Ranger again."

"Wow.." Kim responded as Jason could tell she was taken it in. "I... I'm not even sure how to respond to that."

"Hey.. I wasn't sure how to respond to his call at first either." Jason responded. "But.. I mean he said he needed me and.."

"And of course you would come." Kimberly finished his words, with a sad smile forming on her face.

"Yeah.. I guess.. once a Ranger.." Jason began.

"Always a Ranger." Kim finished. Jason nodded as he took another sip of his coffee.

"I take it everything went well?" She questioned as she scanned his features once more.

"Yeah... I'm a little more sore than usual.. but otherwise we saved the day I guess." Jason answered as he took a mental note of the pain in his shoulder once more. There was a moment of silence as both considered their next words. "So.. how have you been?"

"Good.." She replied simply. "You?"

"Good." He echoed. "You living here now?"

"Yeah." She answered. He nodded. "What about you?"

"No.. um.. I live up north.. Washington to be exact." Jason responded.

"Oh.. I hear it's nice up there." She stated.

"It is." He replied. "So.. um.. are you the only one here now?"

"No... Zack, Billy, Trini and Adam still live here too." Kim answered. Upon hearing their names, it suddenly occurred to Jason how out of touch he was. His dearest friends and yet he wasn't even sure where they all lived anymore. He never meant to lose touch, but life just kind of happened and outside of the occasional call around holidays he hardly spoke to any of his former Ranger teammates. "I'm sure they'd love to see you too."

"I am.. I'm just kind of passing through on my way back home." Jason replied before shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Being here with Kim now and discussing his old friends. It was one part wonderful but it was also painful as well. He suddenly really regretted moving away all of those years ago and losing touch.

"Oh.." She replied with the disappointment very evident in her voice. This caught Jason's attention and he sat up a little straighter in his seat. This prompted Kim to look up and meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Jason found his mouth speaking before his mind could stop it.

"For what?" She inquired. Jason considered the question for moment and he suddenly knew why he was apologizing.

"For.. leaving you." He replied candidly. He watched for Kim's reaction and he could see the flash of hurt in her eyes.

"It's.. it's okay Jase." She stated.

"No.. it's really not.." He rebutted.

"We... it was a long time ago." She stated.

"I was stupid." Jason said bluntly. This prompted Kim's eyes to light up and she leaned forward in her seat as if to get closer to him.

"Wha.." She began.

"I shouldn't have left." He softly interjected. "It's my biggest regret."

"Jason.." She said as she tried to determine what to do with his words.

"Kim.. the way I felt about you... I don't think I ever really got over that." Jason said as he leaned back in his chair dejectedly.

"I... why did you leave then?" She questioned. His gaze went from her to out the window as he tried to think of an answer to that question.

"I have asked myself that question a million times in the last four years." He responded as he turned his attention back to her. "I have never been able to give myself a good answer..."

"You said it was because of what happened on Murianthis... and the nightmares." Kim stated as she recalled their last conversation.

"Yeah... well that was what I believed at the time... I had to get away to start fresh to shake it..." Jason reacted.

"Why couldn't we do that together?" Kim asked the question that had been eating at her. Jason took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders.

"I was stupid." He responded. "I thought that I needed to be alone because I didn't want you to get hurt."

"But Jason.." She began loudly but lowered her voice. "You leaving... that's what hurt me."

"I'm so sorry Kim." Jason as he heard the pain still fresh in her voice. "And.. it didn't help... nothing has helped... but.."

"But what?" She questioned.

"Today... morphing... it.. I feel different." Jason replied. "I think it broke whatever effect that that place held over me."

"That's good." Kim said as she offered him a small smile.

"What about you.. how.. I mean has it bothered you?" He questioned.

"Not anymore.. I think it was the Gold Ranger powers that made it effect you so differently." Kim explained. "Those powers became part of you and once Maligore... I just think it stayed inside of you.."

"You are probably right." Jason replied. "Whatever caused it.. I'm just glad I don't feel it anymore."

"Me too." Kim said, before she reached across the table to place her hand on his. He looked down at her smaller hand on top of his for a moment. She started to remove it and pull it away but he reached up and recaptured it. He held her hand in his now as he raised his eyes to her.

"How have you really been?" He asked.

"Like anyone else.. good times.. bad times.." She replied as she found her whole body becoming warm as he held her hand.

"Um.. is there.." He began.

"There's no one." She responded as if she could read his mind. Jason marveled at her ability to do that. It had been even more evident since what happened on the island those years ago. It connected them on a deeper level somehow. "You?"

"No." He answered. "I uh... not something I have been looking for."

"Why not?" She questioned as she resisted the urge to smile at the way his thumb was tracing circles on the back of her hand the same way he used to do.

"It was you or no one." He answered. She turned her head slightly at him before the smile finally formed on her face. He returned the smile and gave her hand a light squeeze.

"I miss you." She informed him.

"I miss you too." He answered. They sat in silence for several moments as both tried to determine where the conversation was taking them. A waitress dropped a plate behind them and jarred them out of their thoughts and they reluctantly pulled their hands away from each other. Kim's came to rest in her lap and Jason's circled around his coffee cup.

"So um... you are just passing through huh?" She asked, referencing his earlier comment.

"Yeah.." He answered. "Heading... home."

"I um.. guess I won't keep you." She stated as she stood up from her chair. Jason watched her and he felt paralyzed all of the sudden. It was as if he couldn't speak or move as she waited for him to do so. After a several moments she spoke again. "Bye Jason... don't be such a stranger next time."

Jason watched as Kimberly retrieved her purse and then turned to make her way towards the exit of the shop. He blinked a few times to try to snap himself out of the trance he had found himself in. He heard the door close as she disappeared out of view and he jumped up and hurried out after her. Jason stepped outside and looked around. He saw her opening her car door and he jogged over to her.

"Kim.. wait." Jason said as he put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I.." He hesitated. "I just don't want you to go."

"Why?" She questioned as she looked up at him.

"I... I still.." He began. "I still love you."

"Jason.." She began. "You are leaving again."

"I..." He understood what she meant.

"Let's not do this." She finished her thought. "What's the point?"

She turned back to her car and opened the door. She was just about to get in when Jason reached down to take her by the hand again. She did a half turn towards him again.

"The point is... four years ago... you tried to stop me from leaving... and I stupidly didn't listen to you." He explained. "But now... I... I guess I'm hoping that you'll stop me again, because I'm ready to listen."

He watched as she stepped back and closed the door of her car. She moved stand closer to him and looked up at him. He matched her gaze and waited to see what her reaction would be. He wouldn't blame her if she told him to buzz off and a big part of him was expecting that reaction. He had convinced himself she'd say that so much so that he was surprised to hear the next word out of her mouth.

"Stay." She said simply with a small smile. He could see a tear fall down her cheek and he furrowed his brow as he tried to understand if it was a good thing or bad. "Jason.. I understand why you felt like you had to leave... but you were wrong... we could have gotten through it together."

"I know that now." He answered as he reached up to wipe the tear off her cheek.

"Good.. so.. stay." She replied as she reached up to place her hand over his. He leaned down tentatively to kiss her. She met him halfway. Suddenly all of the reasons he felt he had to leave vanished away from his mind.

"Kim.. I'm.." He began.

"No more apologies Jase." She interrupted him. "What's done is done.. the past is the past.. but we are here now and that's what matters."

He smiled and pulled her into a hug. He wasn't sure how he'd ever gotten so lucky to find someone like Kim. Although he knew he had blown it for them the last time. He also knew that this time he would never leave her again. No matter what happened he had come to realize that peace would not be found apart from her. He smiled as she pulled away and leaned up to kiss him again.

"So... since you are staying.. I'm sure there are some other people that would love to see you again." She stated with a smile. He nodded and smiled in return.

"I'd like that." He responded. "It's good to be home."


End file.
